Celebrating music at the Music Museum

I also think of the harp whenever I think of the Music Museum. That happens whenever I go there to watch a show or when I am merely going around the Greenhills area. I loved that harp. It was a small electric harp owned by the late composer Willy Cruz. If I remember right, it was a gift from Pilita Corrales who got it in Japan. I liked it because it was easy to carry around and not as cumbersome as a real full size harp. And it sounded good.

Well, not as good as the real harp but quite adequate for pop arrangements. Willy loaned that harp to the Music Museum to display among the showbiz memorabilia in the lobby. But unfortunately, the Music Museum was destroyed by fire on May 28, 1992. A lot of precious items in the exhibit went up in smoke, including Willy’s harp. I still think of it to this day.

While the harp did not survive the fire, the Music Museum fortunately rose from the ashes and was rebuilt in 1994. In fact, with new owner Precy Florentino at the helm, it is now a large business concern with movie theaters, shops, restaurants, promenades and others around the original site. Best of all, the Music Museum is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year. It is just as well that it is back and thriving well. The show place is where most of our biggest stars cut their teeth as performers. It is the in-between stop from the small gigs to big-time stardom.

I believe that there is just no way artists would be able to do the Mall of Asia Arena or the Araneta Coliseum without first performing at the Music Museum. It is like New York. If you can make it there, you’ll make it anywhere. Then like they would to a beloved home, it was also the venue where years on in their careers, these stars would return to the MM from time to time for intimate events that would bring them closer to their fans. 

The Music Museum opened on Aug. 8, 1988, with then DFA Secretary and jazz musician Raul Manglapus cutting the ribbon with superstar Nora Aunor and pop diva Kuh Ledesma. It was Ledesma who founded the MM. She wanted to have a readily accessible place where artists could perform with a minimum of worries. A known stickler for perfection, she equipped the MM with just the right equipment for everything required in a show. Then to add to the homey, party ambiance, she also allowed food and drinks inside the theater. And everybody came to perform.

And I mean everybody. The Music Museum can rock very hard as in Parokya Ni Edgar, Wolfgang and Rivermaya. It can soar on wings of songs with champions like Sarah Geronimo and Rachelle Ann Go; laugh hard with comedians like Jon Santos and Vice Ganda. Basil Valdez, Regine Velasquez, Lani Misalucha, Sharon Cuneta, Martin Nievera, Gary Valenciano, Hajji Alejandro, Zsa Zsa Padilla, Apo Hiking Society, Julie Ann San Jose etc. etc., and almost everybody strutted their stuff at the MM.

Why, they even have special movie screenings, like Heneral Luna, and plays, like Vagina Monologues at the Music Museum. But I must stop doing the list now. Although I am sure that that is a most impressive one worth a place in Philippine show business history.

To celebrate its 30th year, the Music Museum has come up with a double disc album with booklet. The booklet is a gem of MM trivia and old photographs, while the album contains 30 tracks, all of them by artists who these past 30 years, have performed on the Music Museum stage. Sorry to all those interested in taking a look at the booklet or listening to the CDs, the album is not for sale.

Among the cuts included in the album are I Think I’m In Love by Kuh Ledesma; Friends In Music by the APO Hiking Society; Ngayon At Kailanman by Basil Valdez; Thank You Love by Jose Mari Chan; May Minamahal by Hajji Alejandro; You Are My Song by Martin Nievera; Sana Maulit Muli by Gary Valenciano; Don’t Say Goodbye by Pops Fernandez; Kung Kailangan Mo Ako by Rey Valera; Hindi Magbabago by Gary Valenciano; Tell Me by Joey Albert; Thank You by Jamie Rivera.

Para Lang Sa ‘yo by Aiza Seguerra; Kapit by Christian Bautista; Para Sa Akin by Sitti; Forever’s Not Enough by Sarah Geronimo; Kay Tagal by Rachel Alejandro; Questions by Bamboo; Ikaw by Yeng Constantino; Patuloy Ang Pangarap by Angeline Quinto; Mahal Ko O Mahal Ako by KZ Tandingan; Akin Ka Na Lang by Morissette; Alam by Darren Espanto; Mamang Kutsero by the Baihana.